#Jyotirlinga# Vishwanatha

Jyotirlingas # Vishwanatha

The Jyotirlingas have a significant religious, spiritual, historical and religious importance in Bharat. In addition to being a must do in the pilgrim circuit, the Jyotirlingas have a story to tell. Let us understand and appreciate the puranic stories behind these places, the history and the societal significance in the present context.

Somnath is the oldest Jyotirlinga. The temple is located in Veraval in Gujarat. (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/Jyothirlingas-somnath.html). The second Jyotirlinga is Mallikarjuna in Srisailam in present day Andhra Pradesh

 (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/Jyothirlinga-mallikarjunaswamy-and.html).

We had covered the story of Mahakaaleshwar in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/Jyothirlinga-mahakaaleshwar.html).

Omkareshwar is the fourth jyotirlinga (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/jyotirlinga-omkareshwar.html).

 Baidyanath is the fifth Jyotirlinga and located in Deogarh, Jharkhand. https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/jyothirlinga-baidyanath.html.

Bhima Shankar in Maharashtra is the sixth Jyotirlinga. https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/07/jyotirlinga-bhimashankar.html.

The seventh one is the famous Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameshwaram. https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/07/jyotirlinga-ramanathaswamy.html

The eight one is the one at Nageswara at Dwaraka. https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/07/jyotirlinga-nageswara.html.

Kashi Vishwanatha
What can you say about a city that is older than any known history and is thriving till date? How can you describe a city that is the dream and destination of every practising Sanatani? How do you start to describe the greatness and qualities of a benevolent God Vishwanatha and the Mother Goddess Annapurani who have chosen this timeless city as their home? How do you do justice to a city that promises to free humans from bondage? Yes, we are talking about Varanasi also known as Kashi and the ksetra of Lord Vishwanatha. Vishwanatha is the next jyotirlinga in our list of jyotirlingas.

Varuna chapyasischaiva dwai nadyo suranirmita

Antarale tayoha kshetram vaghya na vishate kwachit

Varanasi is situated in between two god-made rivers of varuna and assi.

Varuna Assi Nadhi Madhye, Ananda vane, Maha Smashane is the shankalpa for Kashi. This short shankalpa describes the geography, the environment and the impact of this great city. To crudely translate this, it means a city between the rivers of Varuna and Assi, a place where we attain inner peace and thereby endless joy (Ananda vane) and a place where all our ego and sins are burnt (Mahasmashane).

When and how did this city and this temple get so much fame and religious significance?  

He was an ascetic living in the cold regions of the Himalayas. He loved the barren terrain and the quiet. He was happy with his animal skin attire and his rugged accessories. He was Shiva the auspicious one.

Once Shiva was in deep meditation. A beautiful maiden, Parvati pleased him with her untiring devotion and service. The beautiful girl, Parvati, also undertook severe penance to attain this rugged ascetic as her husband. Lord Shiva, pleased with Parvati’s devotion and piety asked her for her hand in marriage from her father Himavan. The divine couple got married at Triyuginarayan village on the confluence of the Mandakini and Sone-Ganga rivers. Lord Vishnu gave away Parvati and Lord Brahma officiated the wedding. (The holy fire that united the divine couple – the mother and father of the Universe – is still burning as an agnikund at the Triyuginarayan temple).

Lord Shiva was now a family man. He could no longer consider going back to his ascetic ways in the cold mountains. He wanted to settle down with his new bride Parvati in a siddha ksetra. The couple evaluated many places and decided to settle down in Kashi.

Thanks to the presence of the divine couple, the place became resplendent and thriving. It became a city favoured by many sages for conducting yagnas that further added to the divinity. Once the divine couple had to leave Kashi.

Lord Brahma was worried that without Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati, a place that provided so much peace and happiness to mankind will lose its lustre. He decided to make some stop gap arrangements. After a long search, he found a sage who was of a royal birth named Ripunjay. Lord Brahma goes to Sage Ripunjay “Open your eyes, learned one.” Ripunjay was surprised to see the creator himself in front of him. He bowed to Lord Brahma.

Lord Brahma told him “Its time you bore the responsibility of a crown and kingdom again Ripunjay. I want you to go to Kashi and take care of the Holy City and retain its glory in the absence of Lord Shiva and Devi.” Ripunjay bowed and replied “I shall obey your command, divine Father. I have but one condition. I would like to rule the city without any disturbance to my practising my dharma. I would prefer if the Gods also stay away from the city so that I can perform my duties in peace.” Lord Brahma granted him the wish and said that the Gods will let him rule the city in peace and he in turn should adhere to the code of Dharma in governance. Ripunjay agreed and went to rule Kashi as King Divodasa. As per Lord Brahma’s boons, the visiting Gods left for their heavenly abode. True to his word, Divodas proved to be an exceptional ruler, ruling the city with care and attention. The citizens were happy and prosperous and every tenet of Dharma was followed by both the king and the citizens of Kashi.

As time passed, Lord Shiva wanted to return to the city but could not as per Lord Brahma’s promise to Kind Divodasa. Lord Shiva was also not happy with the boon asked by Divodasa that the Gods cannot disturb his rule. Shiva first sent some messengers to Divodasa to negotiate. The messengers of Shiva were so attracted to the city that they settled down there.

Then Devi Parvati sent her 64 yoginis to convince Divodas. The yoginis became one with the city and did not raise the issue of the desire of Shiva and Parvati to return. Divodas kept them happy by giving them an allocated place in the city in the Chousatti ghat.

Then Lord Shiva told Surya to intervene on his behalf. Lord Surya went to Kashi and instead of convincing Divodas or to find fault with his governance. He disguised himself as a brahmin, an astrologer, a learned person and a businessman and mingled with similar groups to find faults with Divodas’s rule. He could not find any fault with the rule and was too ashamed to go back to Lord Shiva.

He walked the same path as the yoginis and settled down in the city in his 12 rupas. (the 12 rupas of Surya in Kashi are Arunaditya, Gangaditya, Draupaditya, Lolarkaditya, Keshavaditya, Khaklorkhaditya, Mayukhaditya, Saambakaditya, Uttararkaditya, Vimaladitya, Vridhaditya and Yamaditya).

Lord Brahma himself decided to undertake the task of talking to Divodas. The atmosphere and the peace of the city overcame Lord Brahma himself that he ended up doing a Dashashwamedha yagna on the banks of the Ganges (The present day Dashaswamedha ghat is believed to be the location). Lord Brahma taught the yagna may not succeed as the king’s army had to follow ten horses simultaneously and all ten may not come back. To his surprise all the ten horses came back and the yagna was a success.

Then Shivaganas were sent to the city and they became mesmerized and became the dwarapalakas of the city. Finally, Lord Shiva sought the help of Lord Vishnu to break this cycle.

Lord Vishnu sent Lord Ganesha to Kashi disguised as an astrologer. The fame of the astrologer was spread far and wide. Hearing about the astrologer, the queen wanted to meet with him. She was very impressed with the young and knowledgeable astrologer and told her husband King Divodas. King Divodas agreed to meet with the astrologer. The astrologer looked at his palm closely and said “ You have everything that you want. A good kingdom, just rule, great citizens and a peaceful family life. Still, you don’t have peace. Eighteen days from now, a learned sadhu will visit your kingdom. Follow his advice and you will get liberation and enlightenment.”

King Divodas was intrigued and waited for the sadhu. Lord Vishnu came on the 18^th day as a sadhu. (The Adi Keshava temple commemorates this event now).

He met with King Divodas and said “You have been a great ruler of Kashi. But Kashi is bigger than you. It is the city of Lord Shiva. Your boon of keeping the Gods away has lost its meaning. You should invite Lord Shiva back to his home and seek his blessings. Once you have invited Shiva back to mokshapuri Kashi, you will attain liberation from the earthly bondage.”

King Divodas realised his mistake. He established a Shivalinga and prayed for forgiveness and invited the Lord and Devi back to their rightful home. (The Shiva prayed to by King Divodas is what is now known as Divodasheshwara Shiva at Dashaswamedha Ghat). A few days from then, King Divodas attained moksha. Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati blessed him for taking good care of their city and returned home.